English Explanatory Dictionary

reward

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Something of value given in return for an act.
  2. A prize promised for a certain deed or catch
  3. one's place in heaven; God's judgment in the afterlife; death
  4. The result of an action, whether good or bad.
verb
  1. To give a reward to or for.
  2. To be a recompense for.
  3. To give (something) as a reward.

Pronunciation

/ɹɪˈwɔːd/ /ɹəˈwɔːd/ /ɹɪˈwɔɹd/ /ɹəˈwɔɹd/ /ɹiˈwɔɹd/ en-us-reward.ogg

Word forms

reward rewards rewarding rewarded

Etymology

From Middle English reward, rewarde, from Old French reward (“reward”) (compare Old French regard, whence modern French regard, and also English regard through Middle French), from rewarder (“to reward”) (compare Old French reguarder), from re- + warder (“to guard, keep”) (compare Old French guarder); the Anglo-Norman forms are derived from Old Northern French variants of Old French, ultimately of Germanic (Frankish) origin. Compare regard, warden, guard. See more below. Mostly displaced Old English mēd, whence Modern English meed. Displaced Old English lēan and edlēan.

Synonyms

acknowledgment guerdon meed payback recompense reguerdon remuneration reward payment tithing bounty consequence

Antonyms

penalty punishment

Related words

compensation award

Derived words

after-reward a good deed is its own reward antireward extrinsic reward intrinsic reward just reward reward card rewardful reward hacking rewardless reward system superreward virtue is its own reward misreward nonrewarded overreward overrewarded rewardability rewardable rewardedly rewardedness rewardee rewarder rewarding superrewarded unrewarded
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